The National Association of Home Builders said today that new numbers from the U.S. Department of Commerce give some hope that single-family home construction is recovering in at least parts of the U.S.

Citing newly released information for October, NAHB says on its website that single-family housing starts nationally rose 3.9 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 430,000 units.Building permits for single-family permits gained 5.1 percent – to 434,000 units.

The permit pace is the best in almost a year, NAHB reported.

Overall housing starts looked flat because multifamily units fell 8.3 percent.

Still, "We are beginning to see some activity in the housing market," NAHB Chief economist David Crowe said in a commentary posted with the numbers.

NAHB has the full report.